ANIMAL welfare groups have been called in over the condition of a group of ex-racehorses left in “appalling” conditions at locations in Williton and Kingswood.

Local residents say the animals have been left without enough food, water and adequate shelter, and are in need of veterinary care as a result of their ordeal.

At one time, seven horses were in a field off Priest Street in Williton where there was no water supply, and neighbours became alarmed by their deteriorating conditions over Christmas and the New Year as the field turned into a quagmire.

The RSPCA confirmed to the Free Press that they had been notified about the situation and said in a statement: “We are aware of some welfare concerns surrounding a number of horses being kept in a field in Kingswood and are currently working with the owners to ensure that these matters are resolved as quickly as possible.”

And Penny Richards, local welfare officer for the British Horse Society, confirmed she had received calls about the horses’ plight from residents and had spoken to the owner and the RSPCA.

The BHS has no powers of enforcement and can only give advice and alert other organisations, but she confirmed she had looked at the horses’ situations in both Williton and Kingswood and they were totally unsuitable.

She said the RSPCA could only go forward once a horse was in a very poor condition, but she was trying to follow up other leads, such as the various racehorse charities, and also talk to the owner to make sure they understood the level of care the animals needed.

“It’s complicated,” she said.

Full story in the Free Press.